Martha van Collem

Martha van Collem - ‘Every two minutes a siren went off’

Martha talks about the days in May 1940. Martha and her family are well aware of what’s going on in Germany from stories told by refugees. One of the first things her father does is take their name plate from the front door.

Martha van Collem

Martha van Collem is one of Margot and Anne Franks’ friends. She visits them regularly in their home on the Merwedeplein and goes to Jewish lessons with Rabbi Mehler with them. On 20 June, 1943 Martha and her parents are picked up during a big raid. The family is transported via Westerbork to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

1934 Limited admission of refugees

Only a limited number of refugees from Nazi Germany are admitted into the Netherlands starting from June. Amsterdam is also suffering from the world economic crisis. Supporters of different political movements clash regularly.

1935 Safe in the new neighbourhood

Anne Frank goes to school. In the new neighbourhood where she lives she is able to play happily with her friends. But in the old centre of Amsterdam there are more and more anti-Semitic actions by Nazi supporters.

1938 Many Jewish refugees after Kristallnacht

Many Jewish refugees flee to the Netherlands after Kristallnacht. Princess Juliana also feels connected to the Jewish community. But while more attention is drawn to the admittance of more Jews, NSB members threaten more intervention.

1942 It becomes more dangerous for Jews

On her thirteenth birthday Anne Frank receives a diary. A few days later she writes about the situation in Amsterdam. The introduction of the Jewish star and the raids. In July the Frank family goes into hiding.

1942 It becomes more dangerous for Jews

1942

One day Greetje had gone. She had left the Schouwburg. Disappeared. As if she had never been there.

1943 Deportations and attacks

While the Frank family is in hiding thousands of Jews are deported from Amsterdam. The resistance tries to hinder the deportations by attacks including one on the Public Registry. It doesn’t stop them.

1943 Deportations and attacks

1943

‘…as the reports from outside grow worse and worse, the radio with its wondrous voice, helps us not to lose heart…

1944 Discovered and arrested

On 4 August the people in hiding in the secret annex are discovered and arrested. From Westerbork they are taken to Auschwitz. When the Allies land in the south of the Netherlands there is hope that the country will be liberated. German soldiers and NSB members flee the country after Dolle Dinsdag (‘Mad Tuesday’).

1945 Joy and sadness

A celebration at the Dam on 7 May is ruined when people are killed after German soldiers shoot at the crowd. On 8 May Amsterdam is officially liberated. Otto Frank returns. He knows that Edith is dead. He only hears later that his two daughters have not survived.

1946 Slowly the threads are picked up again

On 3 May 1946 the first official commemoration for those who died during the war is held. Anne Frank’s diary is published on 25 June 1947. Life in Amsterdam slowly gets back to normal. Of the 70,000 Jews who lived in the city in 1940 only 10,000 have survived the war.

1946 Slowly the threads are picked up again

1946

To me, however, this apparently inconsequential diary by a child... stammered out in a child's voice, embodies all the hideousness of fascism, more so than all the evidence at Nuremberg put together.